Beauty in the Breakdown

Thoughts while on my daily walk around the parking lot:

Some people make pain look so good. Not “good” as in “inviting”; but as in beautiful. You know the type. The poetry they write, the words they say, the way their lip trembles when they are tearing up – I just want to wrap them up in my arms and hold them and tell them everything is going to be okay.

And that’s fine, and good, and you I should probably do that more often. But what about everyone else? Nobody is free from pain. But only a lucky few show it in a way that draws such an instantly sympathetic response. Others have less attractive ways of showing it – anger, hostility, cynicism, jealousy, vindictiveness, coldness. It seems unfair of me that I should only notice those who show their unhappiness in ways that tug the heartstrings.

Avalokiteshvara, Kuan-Yin to the Chinese,
Lady of Compassion, I invoke your name:
Grant me clear vision to see the suffering behind anger, fear, and hate.
Let me have compassion equally for all who are in pain.